Goodnight, Godbless
by Smickan
Summary: Complete. Pt 4 in series. Things have been going well for Smithy and Charlie, together for 8 months, and very happy and completely unaware of the tragedy around the corner threatening to disrupt everything.
1. Chapter 1

_Part four of the series, along with Half Hearted Love Affairs, Not Always Out Of Reach, and I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles. This story follows on from there…_

**Goodnight, Godbless.**

"Nff!"

Smithy fought hard not to laugh, gathering Charlie in his arms as he pulled her towards his chest, holding her in his lap.

"Nff!" Charlie barked, trying to talk, settling for cupping Smithy's face in her hands, giving him a sleepy smile, promptly sneezing.

"...Thanks for that." Smithy passed her a tissue, kissing her forehead as Charlie shifted and settled in his lap, practically curling into a ball, gripping his jumper tightly and yawning.

"Ify." She yawned again, pushing her face into his neck, her arm curling around his neck as she tried to sleep. "Uff Nuu."

"Love you too." Smithy chuckled softly, stroking her hair, frowning at her raised temperature and ragged breathing. "You want me to-."

"Ooo!" Charlie shook her head, coughing hard. "I –neee!"

"You're not fine." Smithy sighed and all but cradled her, wrapping the blanket around her tighter as she fell asleep, putting the TV on softly to see the football results, glancing occasionally at the small dark haired bundle on his knee.

* * *

"Missus still chockablock?" 

Smithy nodded, yawning as he slouched in the canteen chair, "She was tossing and turning all night…"

"Oh aye?" Dan smirked, shovelling a forkful of chips into his mouth. "Thought she was ill?"

"She is." Smithy narrowed his eyes and glared at Dan, causing him to frown and dip his head to avoid the glare.

Roger watched the exchange, hiding his smirk behind his cup.

"She says thanks for passing it on by the way," Smithy's glare darkened and he continued glaring at Dan who blushed slightly.

"Typical Danny-Boy, suffers from chronic foot in mouth disease.

Smithy just sneered and stood up, stalking out of the canteen, Gina blinking as the sergeant pushed past her.

"Sergeant!" Gina turned to speak to him, Smithy hot-footing it down the corridor and around the corner before she could.

"What's his problem?" Dan pouted, finishing his sandwich.

"Lack of sleep?" Leela answered from over her cup, causing Dan and Roger to exchange glances and snigger, "Boys!" she tutted, sighing.

* * *

"Get it away!" Charlie shrieked a week later, hiding behind Smithy and peering over his shoulder. "DALE!" 

Smithy rolled his eyes and brandished his work shoe, pulling it back as he dropped it over the spider attempting the marathon across the kitchen, killing it.

"You squashed it!" Charlie blinked and peered down at the small body decorating the kitchen tiles.

"What did you want me to do? Stun it and sent it for care in the community?"

Charlie squinted at the remains of the spider, looking up at Smithy. "Poor Bob…"

"Bob?" Smithy said dryly. "…Bob the spider?"

Charlie nodded solemnly, her expression deadly serious. "He could have had a family of little Bob's."

"…You have got to get out more."

"I would!" Charlie pouted and leant against the counter, passing Smithy a wedge of kitchen roll, moving from the door to allow him to flush Bob to his final resting place, "But Gina won't let me back in the station till I've been to the doctors tomorrow."

"Can you blame her?" Smithy returned from the bathroom, grinning as Charlie slapped his arm. "I wouldn't let you in either!"

Charlie pouted and wrapped her arms around his neck, looking up at him. "I'm better now…"

"I don't want your germs." Smithy chuckled and kissed her forehead, "And neither do the others."

"Well…" Charlie looked thoughtful as she reasoned it through, nodding. "If the male side of the force had the flu, they'd all be dying…"

"Oi!" Smithy wriggled his eyebrow and patted her backside. "I hardly-"

"Who gave me it in the first place?"

"Dan…"

"Who gave Dan it?"

Smithy looked sheepish and shrugged. "Mickey…"

"You!" Charlie kissed his forehead. "I've got it from you, Mickey and Dan – none of you were able to look after yourself, Dan was living on lager and pizza, Mickey thought it was the end of the world, and you were convinced you were hallucinating!"

Smithy smirked, returning Charlie's soft kiss. "You did look like Kelly Brook…"

"Dale!"

"…Only prettier."

"Good boy!" Charlie smirked and tweaked his cheek, pulling back to start cooking, Smithy smirking in response as he sat at the dining table.

"What time you going tomorrow?"

"Uh, when I can." Charlie glanced over her shoulder. "I want to get in and seen as soon as possible so I can get back to Gina and hopefully start tomorrow."

Smithy nodded, leaning across for the paper. "Would have thought you'd be glad of the time off…"

"I would be if you were off too…" Charlie pouted and reached in the cupboard in front of her. "There's only so much daytime TV I can watch without wanting to kill myself with a spoon."

"A spoon?"

"Trust me-" Charlie waved a ladle in front of his face. "It's preferable to 'I shagged my brother's dead wife's spirit and now I'm possessed by the soul of Cliff Richard' chat shows."

"…You don't have a brother."

"_DALE_!"


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Enjoy the fluff whilst it lasts…_

**Goodnight, Godbless – Part 2**

"Thank_ you_!" Charlie glared at the woman in front of her, having to practically be pulled out of the reception by Smithy. "What did you do that for?"

"Cos I don't want to have to arrest you for GBH!"

"Stupid cow." Charlie scowled, glaring back at the door. "Did you see that look she gave me!"

"Then don't tell her how to organise her filing system!" Smithy sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Should have seen the state of her top drawer, no wonder she couldn't find the notes!"

"You don't know she couldn't find them…"

"…Might as well," Charlie pouted and rolled her eyes. "I want to go back to work!"

Smithy wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "And you can now. Just…try not to start war with JT or something."

"As if!" Charlie instantly brightened and kissed his cheek. "And now I can keep my eye on you!"

Smithy's eyebrow rose and he looked over the top of the car at her. "…Or not."

"Just shut up and behave." Charlie winked and got in the passenger side.

* * *

"Good to have you back!" 

"Good to be back!" Charlie beamed at Tony and returned his hug. "Though. If you see JT before I do – tell him I want a word."

"Charlotte!"

"My drawers!" Charlie whined, pouting.

"Behave." Smithy pointed at her, kissing her forehead before disappearing into the main station.

"I always do." Charlie smirked after him, taking her jacket off as she settled herself in the chair, her legs upon the desk as she pulled her in tray forward.

"Er," Gina stopped in front of her, "What's this?"

"Ma'am!" Charlie beamed broadly. "I'm settling in."

"Settle them on the floor." Gina tapped her legs, shooing them off the desk. "First job, tidy this place up."

"Nothing like a welcome back is there." Charlie grinned.

"And that was nothing like a welcome back." Tony chuckled at his own joke.

* * *

"So what was wrong anyway?" Amber asked, sprawling over the desk as she searched for a file. 

"…That would be so much easier if you came round here." Charlie rolled her eyes, flicking the back of Amber's hands repeatedly with a ruler.

"Or if you didn't do that!" Amber scowled, pulling the ruler from her hands.

Charlie smirked mischievously and shrugged. "A bad dose of flu apparently." She shrugged. "Doesn't explain being sick, but I guess that was cos I was so run down."

"Thanks for that." Amber's brow furrowed and she grimaced a little, turning and heading in the opposite direction having produced the papers she needed.

"Welcome!" Charlie beamed innocently and continued typing, humming softly to herself.

* * *

Smithy sighed and studied the pile of paperwork in front of him, "Does it breed overnight for you too?" 

June glanced up at him and smiled softly. "I'd just be glad for a quiet day to make a st-" She trailed off, looking over her glasses at the door.

"Sarge!" Amber gave him her best pout. "Can you-"

"No!"

"Smi_thy!"_ She whined.

"Amber, I am not writing your statement for you!" Smithy growled, pushing a file at her.

"I wasn't asking you to." She pouted again and pretended not to notice the blindingly obvious file floating in front of her face. "I just need some help."

"Take this!" Smithy thrust the folder into her hands, and turned her by her shoulders, pushing her to the writing room. "Go in there." He thrust her through the door. "Read that, and concentrate!"

"Sar-" Amber scowled darkly as the door slammed shut on Smithy's exit, sinking into one of the chairs, reluctantly picking a pen up.


	3. Chapter 3

**Goodnight Godbless – Chapter Three.**

"What's the matter with you?" Smithy rolled onto his stomach, blinking sleepily up at Charlie as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Charlie shook her head and looked over her shoulder at him, smiling softly as she fondly ruffled his hair. "Must be something I ate."

"Or the bottle of wine." He smirked, pushing himself up to a sitting position.

"Well if you're not going to finish it off." She smirked and shrugged, her hand resting at the top of her stomach. "I'll be fine," she told him, cupping his face in one hand to pull it towards hers.

"Oi!" Smithy smirked and pulled his head free, holding her wrist. "I don't want your germs."

"You're all heart!" Charlie tutted, smirking back at him.

"Me?" Smithy winked and shrugged. "I'm famous for it."

* * *

"You look like-" 

"Thanks."

"Anytime." Mickey beamed and shrugged. "What's wrong with you?"

Charlie shrugged and pushed her hair back over her shoulder. "Hangover, I guess."

"You don't even remember drinking?" Mickey grinned and laughed. "That's my sort of hangover!"

"Sod off Webbo!" Charlie pouted. "The wine must have been off."

Mickey's eyebrows rose and he smirked knowingly. "Of course, that must be it."

"Don't you have work to do, DC Webb?"

Mickey straightened as he heard the familiar voice behind him and cleared his throat. "I was just going, ma'am."

Gina's arms folded as she watched him still standing by the desk, shooing him with her hand.

"Ma'am!" He beamed and turned, leaving the front office to head back to CID.

"Are you sure you should be in?" Gina asked with a frown. "Don't want you scaring the customers."

"I've only just come back!" Charlie protested. "I'm fine!"

"You look it." Gina deadpanned. "How much did you drink?"

Charlie sighed and rested her elbows on the front of the desk. "Thank you for your concern ma'am." She murmured, a petulant frown marking her lips. "But I'm fine."

* * *

"But you're my bit of stuff…" He slung a drunken arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his chest. "My dollybird." 

"Smithy!" Charlie pulled back a little, smoothing her hair.

"I didn't do nothing!" Smithy crowed drunkenly, grinning. "Give us a kiss."

"Dale." Charlie turned her head slightly, rolling her eyes and chuckling as he launched at her, kissing him softly and shuffling into his lap. "You reek like a brewery." She grinned, wrinkling her nose.

"You say the nicest things to me." Smithy grinned, dropping his head into her cleavage.

"Give us a break." Mickey drawled, aiming a beer mat at Smithy's head.

"Oi!" Charlie scowled at him and managed to deflect it, her hand brushing Smithy's hair gently.

"Is this going to be a regular occurrence?" Gina drawled, releasing a steady stream of smoke. "The free porn?"

"We usually charge extra." Charlie sniffed nonchalantly, "Be grateful for the freebie."

"Oh I am." Gina drawled sarcastically. "Drink?"

"Orange juice please…" Charlie smiled tightly, shifting a little as she rested one hand over her stomach as it protested against the amount she'd already drank. "On early tomorrow." She excused.

Smithy giggled drunkenly from where he was lodged, flailing his arm out to find his glass, almost knocking it over before Gina swiped it from the table. "I think you've had enough, Sergeant."

"Nooo." Smithy scowled and pushed his arm back around Charlie's waist without lifting his head.

"He'll start snoring soon." Dan grinned.

"That only happened the once." Charlie pouted for Smithy, shifting as she felt his lips clumsily caressing the fold of her breasts. "Dale…" she whispered, dipping her head to his. "Stop it…"

Smithy glanced up and smirked at her, pressing a soft kiss against her lips, before resting his hand across her lap. "Drink?" He pouted at Gina.

"Orange." Gina pushed his glass over, sitting down after handing the other drinks around.

Smithy peered suspiciously at the glass, "…Something in it?"

"Yes." Gina nodded. "Orange."

"But-"

"Excuse me…" Charlie extracted herself from Smithy, "We'll make a move after this one." She told him, escaping to the toilets, the sound of his argument with Gina echoing behind her, one hand clamped firmly to her mouth.

She hurried into a cubicle, flushing the toilet as soon as she'd been sick, putting the seat down and rested her head against the cool wall, crossing her arms protectively almost over her stomach. She swallowed, the wave of nausea soon passing, allowing her to wash her hands. She swallowed again, looking at her reflection and sighing, bending to rinse her mouth out, her eyes closing tight as another pain flashed across her stomach, before slipping unconscious to the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

_Big thank you to Stacey for all the help with the medical stuff :P_

**Goodnight, Godbless**

"But how IS she?" Smithy paced, glaring at the doctor.

"I'm sorry." The doctor sighed, "Patient confidentiality forbids me-"

"I'm her boyfriend!" Smithy squared up to the doctor, Gina taking his arm and pulling him back. "You have to tell me more tha-"

"Mr Smith," The doctor sighed. "I'm sorry, Charlotte is being assessed by the doctors, we'll know more soon, and then Charlotte will tell us-"

"Charlie!" Smithy tried to get past them. "Chaz-"

"Smithy," Gina managed to get him to sit down, sighing. "Just let them finish…"

"Why won't they tell me!"

"Charlie will let them soon – but first they need to find out what's wrong."

Smithy sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "She's been off for ages, I should have brought her down before…"

"She had the flu Dale, it's not your fault!"

"I bet it's something to do with that though, she got it-"

"_Dale_." Gina held his arm. "It's ok, just give them time."

"There's so many different doctors in there, they keep going in!" He sighed. "I heard that nurse talking to one, he was from Gynaecology! Why do they need him?"

"It means they can cover all bases." Gina told him gently. "Then they'll know more about how to help!"

"They've been prodding her for ages! She was crying!"

"She's awake, Dale…" Gina squeezed his arm. "They know what they're doing."

"But-" Smithy's head shot up as a choked cry sounded from behind the curtains, he moved to push his way inside, confronted by a doctor. "Mr Smith…?"

"How is she?" Smithy frowned, trying to get round him.

"You are…?" The doctor looked at Gina, dodging the question.

"Inspector Gina Gold," Gina told him. "I'm a friend and colleague of Charlotte and Sgt Smith."

The doctor nodded and disappeared back into the cubicle, emerging a few seconds later. "Charlotte tells me it's ok to let you both know…" He sighed and closed his hands together, looking at Smithy. "I'm afraid it's bad news."

Smithy's eyes widened and he stared at the doctor. "What is it?"

Gina's hand rose and she closed her fingers around Smithy's, "Doctor?"

The doctor looked back to Smithy and explained about the tests they'd done. "We had suspected it since she'd arrived, and an ultrasound confirmed to us that the reason for the pain Charlotte was suffering, and for the blood was indeed an eptopic pregnancy."

Smithy faltered, blinked and looked at the doctor, stunned. "Pregnancy?" He swallowed. "She's…pregnant?"

"Mr Smith – I'm afraid that the baby has actually grown inside one of Charlotte's fallopian tubes, which caused the pain, the rupture causing the bleeding…"

"Baby…" Smithy looked at Gina. "She's having…a baby!"

"No Dale…" Gina tried to explain gently, the doctor interrupting.

"The baby cannot survive, and is a threat to Charlotte's life…" He told him, his tone matter of fact. "We need to get Charlotte to surgery and operate immediately, if it ruptures further, she may die."

"But-"

"We've caught it early." The doctor confirmed. "We will do our best for her, and she stands the best chance! We will need to almost definitely remove the fallopian tube and ovary on the damaged side, now this doesn't rule out conception at a later date, it does reduce the chances somewhat."

"She didn't tell me she was pregnant!" Smithy blinked, trying to take it all in and process it.

"She didn't know herself, she is only 8 weeks and she had her period – it's not uncommon with eptopic pregnancies, that is until they rupture."

"And…." Smithy frowned. "There's no chance that the pregnancy…the baby-"

"I'm sorry…" The doctor sighed and shook his head. "There is no baby, Mr Smith."


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: Thank you thank you and a thousand times thank you to Stacey again for all her help and knowledge ;)_

**Goodnight, Godbless**

"We'll be taking her to theatre soon," The doctor watched Smithy and Gina. "You can go and sit with her if you like…"

Smithy nodded and cleared his throat. "Er…"

"Just don't tire her out," The doctor said softly. "She knows everything I've told you now…she's understandably upset."

"Is she in-"

"We've given her pain killers." The doctor shook his head. "She's not in any pain."

"Go on…" Gina whispered gently. "I'll give you a few minutes…"

Smithy nodded slowly, hesitating, before pushing the curtain open, slipping inside the cubicle.

Charlie turned her head at the sound, her gaze locking against Smithy's. Smithy shifted and sighed, sitting beside her bed, instantly taking her hand and kissing it.

"I-I'm sorry." Charlie whispered, "I'm so sorry…"

"It's not your fault!" Smithy insisted, leaning forward, his free hand in her hair. "I love you." he whispered. "We'll be ok…"

"I lost our baby…" Charlie stammered softly, closing her eyes. "Our baby…" She looked up at him, attempting to get out of bed and climb in his lap.

"Shhh," Smithy swallowed, trying to still take it in. "Its ok…" He took her arm, laying her down in the bed, holding her in place.

"I'm sorry." Charlie repeated, her hand covering his cheek. "Can you forgive me, Dale?"

"There's nothing to forgive." Smithy rested his head bedside hers on the pillow. "It's ok…"

"I don't want to be here." She whispered, her hand closing around his.

"It's just till you feel better, then I'll take you home and look after you…"

"I don't want to be looked after…" Charlie looked up at him, holding his gaze. "If they take our baby…we might not be able to have more…" she rested her hand on the side of her stomach.

"Charlie, no…" Smithy whispered, covering her hand with his. "There is no baby, darlin', the doctors have to operate or you…you could…could die, babe."

Charlie watched him for a few seconds, before turning her head away, gripping the edge of the duvet tightly, her face crumbling as she cried.

Smithy frowned and tried to comfort her, the doctors soon coming to take Charlie to theatre.

"I-I'm sorry…" Charlie whispered as the trolley moved, squeezing Smithy's hand.

"Stop saying that…" he said nervously, glancing from Charlie to the doctor.

Charlie smiled weakly, pressing a soft kiss against his lips. "I love you…"

"I love you too." Smithy smiled tightly, stroking her hair. "You come back to me y'hear?"

Charlie nodded, returning his soft kiss.

"Even now you can't put him down…" Gina stood at the foot of the bed, smiling softly at them.

Charlie tried to smile and looked between them, squeezing Gina's hand tightly.

Smithy grabbed the arm of the surgeon as the two women spoke softly, "Just you look after her…" he told him nervously. "…Don't let anything…happen to her."

"She's in the best possible hands." The nurse smiled beside him. "Don't worry."

Smithy shifted and waited until the trolley was out of sight, before turning and stalking towards the courtyard.

Gina watched and sighed, stopping the nurse from following him. "Give him a few minutes." She told her, edging herself towards the doors, watching him.

Smithy turned his face up towards the sky, before lashing out at the nearest wheely bin, sending it flying across the courtyard.

"I think it's given in…" Gina lit her cigarette, watching him from the corner.

"I haven't!" Smithy lashed out again, this time at the wall, splitting his knuckles. He stopped and watched the blood for a few seconds, looking from them to Gina. "She's…" He looked at the wall. "She was…"

"I know…"

"I left her…" Smithy swallowed. "She was ill this morning, and I left her and insisted that she came out tonight!"

"Dale…" Gina moved closer and gently hugged him.

"She could die!" Smithy looked down at his hand over Gina's shoulder.

"She'll be fine!" Gina told him, more as an order than anything else for her to be ok. "If she hadn't come out, it could have happened at home and she-"

"I should have stayed with her!"

"Dale, you didn't know and neither did Charlie! It's not your fault, or hers!"

"She didn't say she was in pain," Smithy tried to piece it all together. "She said she was hungover." He frowned. "I joked about it."

"Listen to me!" Gina tilted his chin to make him look at her. "It's not your fault, or anyone else's."

"It can't just happen, Gina." Smithy struggled to understand. "It has to-"

"It does..." Gina said quietly, "The baby hasn't been growing in the womb, it means that it can't be protected in the normal way...there's not enough space or a way to look after it or feed it..."

"Is there…there something wrong with one of us?"

"No!" Gina insisted. "Sometimes it just happens, sweetheart." She said softly. "It doesn't mean you can't try for another baby when you want to…"

"We weren't trying." Smithy shook his head. "We were careful. She's on the…y'know."

"Sometimes things happen to affect it though…" Gina explained. "Being ill, vomiting, drinking even forgetting to take it…"

"She was ill…" Smithy shifted and sighed. "She looked after me when I had the flu, and helped Dan and Mickey. That can't have helped…"

Gina hugged him again, squeezing his shoulder. "She'll be fine…" She told him softly. "Do you want to go back inside?"

Smithy nodded slowly, letting Gina lead him along, sitting outside the theatre with her.


	6. Chapter 6

_Thank you once again to Stacey for her help :D_

**Goodnight Godbless**

"How much longer?" Smithy snapped, pacing the corridor.

Gina glanced at her watch and sighed. "It can't be much longer…" She squeezed his shoulder. "She's over the worst."

"What are they _doing_?" he hissed, obviously frustrated.

"Easy Dale…" Gina stood beside him, looking up as the door that led from theatre opened. "Anything?"

"They're just finishing up." The doctor smiled at Gina. "It was a success, she's going to be fine."

Smithy nodded slowly, his expression set, not prepared to accept anything as gospel until he had Charlie back in his arms.

"It shouldn't be long now." The doctor explained what had happened during the surgery. "She'll go straight back on the ward."

"Can we sit with her?"

"When she's on the ward." The doctor nodded, heading off down the corridor.

Smithy stood up and stayed close to the door, waiting for them to open again.

"Dale…" Gina tried softly. "Can I get you anything?"

Smithy shook his head, still watching the doors closely.

* * *

Half an hour later, Smithy was settled in the chair beside Charlie's bed, stroking her hair as he talked softly to her, pressing a kiss against her hand. He barely acknowledged the nurses that occasionally drifted in, eyeing the machines off, getting used to their noises; Gina sat beside him, not wanting to intrude. 

"Dale…" Gina tried softly, before repeating herself a little louder. "Dale?"

"Hmm?" Smithy glanced up, obviously not completely paying attention.

"I'll go and let the others know how everything is and bring you both a change of clothes…" she told him, waving the keys that he'd given her earlier. "Are you alright?"

"I am now." Smithy nodded, looking back to Charlie.

"I'll give you a-"

"What happened to the baby?" Smithy looked at the doctor that had appeared at the foot of the bed.

"Mr Smith?"

"The baby." Smithy fixed the doctor with an intense gaze. "She's gonna want to know."

"I'm afraid there is no baby, Mr Smith." The doctor sighed softly.

Smithy frowned, "She was pregnant! You operated, where's the baby?"

"There was no viable foetus, Dale." The doctor tried a different tact. "She was only 8 weeks pregnant…"

"There was a baby, now there's not a baby!" Smithy stressed. "All I want to know is where it is! You have to have-"

"Because of the rupture that caused the bleeding, we had to remove one of Charlotte's fallopian tubes, that being the one that was holding the baby. After eight weeks the baby has hardly had chance to develop, especially one that hasn't had chance to receive any nutrients or food...I'm sorry Dale. We had to dispose of both properly."

"Ma'am!" Smithy looked at Gina. "Did you-"

"I'm sorry, Dale." The doctor sighed. "It-"

"**It **is still a baby, and Dale is still one of the parents!" Gina glared at the doctor.

"I'm sorry." The doctor pursed his lips and sighed. "The baby was an embryo – nothing more."

"Dale..." Gina held him gently. "The baby wasn't properly formed...not like a full term baby...it had no internal organs and wasn't able to move, or breathe properly...the doctors have looked after the baby and put him or her in a safe place..." she looked up, "Haven't you!" She said sharply.

The doctor nodded, watching Gina.

"Why don't you and Charlie make a special place..." she said softly, "Somewhere the two of you can remember the baby...in the garden at home maybe...make a little memorial with some flowers or something?"

Smithy nodded slowly, looking at where he was tightly holding Charlie's hand.

Gina gently hugged him to her, glaring at the doctor as she saw his relieved expression.

"Charlie wouldn't just want to do nothing…" Smithy spoke eventually. "She loves kids…this'll kill her."

"She's stronger than you think…" Gina looked down at him, hugging him to her gently. "Everyone has a different way of coping with grief."

"I don't feel like someone's died…" he admitted, frowning. "Does that make me-"

"No, Dale, It's a shock..." Gina looked to her hands. "It may hit you later...bearing in mind you only found out today..." She looked back at the cubicle. "Charlie may feel the same...or she may want to walk about it more...or not mention it...you can't prejudge it." she soothed, rubbing his back.

"What if I say the wrong thing?" he sighed.

"There is no right or wrong answer. As long as you're there…that's all that matters to her." Gina smiled softly.

* * *

A little while later, Charlie's hand twitched a little inside Smithy's, a small murmur leaving her lips. 

"Chaz?" Smithy leant forward, "Charlie…? It's me."

Charlie blinked furiously against the bright lights above, trying to focus. Smithy leant forward a little more and rested his hand at the side of her face to shade her eyes. "The operation was a success sweetheart, you're gonna be ok."

Charlie turned her head a little to look at him, her head resting against his hand. "…Gone." She said eventually.

"I know sweetheart…" Smithy whispered, kissing her hand gently. "I'm sorry…"

Charlie raised a hand and dopily rubbed her eyes, opening her arms for him, pulling a little on his hand to pull him to her.

Smithy knelt beside the bed, resting his head beside hers, kissing her softly. "Get some rest, babe…" he whispered.

Charlie gently cupped the back of his head with one hand, thoughtfully pursing her lips as she rested her forehead against his. "I love you..." she said, quite sullenly almost. "Even if you do keep me here."

Smithy tried a weak smile, "Just you get better."

"Sir." Charlie mumbled softly, suppressing a yawn. She bit her lip and looked away, before meeting his gaze again. "Where's the baby?" she asked quietly.

Smithy froze and swallowed hard, trying to remember Gina's words. "It's being looked after properly."

"Where?" Charlie asked sleepily.

"Er, the place they take them…" Smithy stammered. "Because they're so small."

Charlie frowned a little and watched him. "He was going to be a boy..." She held his gaze, her grip on his hand tightening a little. "Our son..."

Smithy's eyes widened a little and he pulled back a little, looking at the floor.

"We-we could name him…" Charlie floundered, flailing for something or something to fix her grief onto. "What do you think?"

"Can I get you something?" Smithy swallowed. "Drink?"

"Dale!" Charlie whimpered, trying to reach out for him.

"…Dr-drink?"

Charlie's eyes filled with tears as she watched him and she turned her head away, closing her eyes tightly, softly crying against her pillow.

"Charlie…" Smithy sighed and he leant back over her. "Don't cry…please don't cry."

Charlie hid her face in the pillow, still crying. "Why did I have to lose him?"

Smithy ruffled his hand through his hair, swallowing. "Charlie…"

Charlie appeared to calm a little, looking back at him. "...Would you have wanted him?" she asked for the first time, looking a little unsure.

"Babe..." Smithy sighed. "Get some rest, we'll talk later…"

"Smithy!" Charlie's expression hardened slightly. "Answer the question."

"Course I would!" He half snapped back at her.

"No you wouldn't..." Charlie watched him, folding her arms across herself. "You had to think about it."

"We'd never even discussed children!"

Charlie flinched and turned her head away again, staring across at the wall.

Smithy sat in silence, fighting for something to say.

Charlie stayed silent for the next few minutes, only giving in when she heard the doors open and Gina's voice carry as she talked to the nurse. She turned her head and looked at Smithy, her hand snaking under the duvet to his. "I'm sorry." She whispered to him, squeezing his hand. "It's my fault..."

"Charlie." He sighed tiredly. "I keep telling you, it's not your fault..."

"I meant the argument." Charlie whimpered, watching him.

"Oh." Smithy kissed her hand and sighed. "You're tired…it's ok."

"Come here…" Charlie opened her arms again, watching him timidly.

"Gina's back..." he whispered, leaning over her to cuddle her.

Charlie nodded slowly, her hands gripping his shirt tightly as she held him, her eyes closing fast.

Gina approached the cubicle silently, trying to make sure she wasn't intruding. On hearing nothing she stepped inside, "I'm not disturbing anything am I?" she asked, seeing Charlie's head lolling against Smithy's shoulder.

Smithy shook his head and gently rocked her to sleep, "Thanks for…coming back." He nodded at her, watching her put the sports bag containing their clothes at the foot of the bed.

"Are you ok?" She asked softly.

Smithy sighed and nodded slowly, untangling himself and laying Charlie out straight so as not to pull anything, covering her with the blankets.

"How long as she been awake?"

"Since just after you left." He pursed his lips, his face betraying the pain he felt inside. "She talked about it…like.." he sighed, dipping his head. "She wanted to name it. She even asked if I wanted it! She called him our son. Like he was a …a fully grown baby…"

"Maybe to her it was..." Gina explained softly. "When women have children...it grows inside them, the mother has a natural instinct to protect her young, to look after them...This could be Charlie's form of looking out for him...attaching a human form to him so she could mourn properly."

"She didn't even know about it!" Smithy frowned. "Even you're calling it him!"

"It doesn't make it any the less easier for her to accept." Gina sighed.

"I know…" Smithy frowned. "I just…I can't believe-." he trailed off, shaking his head. "I can't believe any of this is happening."

"If you need to talk…" Gina looked at the bed, Charlie's head turning towards Smithy's voice. "Either of you, you know where I am."

Smithy nodded slowly, "Thanks." He said quietly. "I just need to get my head around it, and make sure Charlie's alright."


	7. Chapter 7

_Now complete, thank you for your reviews :)_

**Goodnight, Godbless**

Charlie watched Smithy flit around the room, her head barely visible above the extra heavy duvet he'd insisted on buying, sighing softly to herself. She'd been home from hospital 5 days and had been confined to bed by Smithy, barely allowed to do a thing for herself.

"Drink?" Smithy asked, appearing beside her.

"I can walk…" She snapped out of pure frustration, watching him.

"I know…" Smithy sighed and lay beside her ontop of the duvet. "I was just asking." He kissed her cheek, opening his arms for her.

Charlie snuggled closer and rested her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm sorry…" she sighed. "I didn't mean it."

"It's alright…" Smithy lifted his head and kissed her tenderly. "I'd be as pissed off as you if I was stuck in bed all day too."

"We should go out…" Charlie tried hopefully, gently tracing the back of his hand with her finger.

"In a few days when you're stronger." Smithy nodded, smiling at her. "I'll book a-"

"In a few days?" Charlie snapped before she could stop herself. "In a few days I'll still be kept here with nothing but these four walls to stare at!"

"Charlie…" Smithy sighed. "You need to rest after the operation, it's not even been a week yet!"

"I don't need mollycoddling!" Charlie pushed herself up, sighing as she clutched his hand tighter. "I don't need to think about ou…" She trailed off and swallowed. "What happened."

"I know…" Smithy leant closer and gently pressed a kiss against her lips. "We can still do stuff here though."

"Like watch tv and play cards?" Charlie tilted her head. "There's only so many times I can beat you at Monopoly, Dale."

"We could get a DVD, a takeaway…" Smithy shrugged. "Who wouldn't want to spend the night in my arms?"

"We do that every night!" Charlie tugged her hair from sheer frustration. "Dale, I need a change…" she gently brushed her thumb against his lip. "I can't stay here, not like this."

"Well then." Smithy kissed her thumb and tilted his head to look up at her. "Why don't I go pick us up some stuff, and you can help me cook?"

Charlie tilted her head and smiled a little. "…Promise?"

"Promise." Smithy held his hand up in a scout like pose. "And then you let me ravish you."

"Oh I don't know about that…" Charlie tilted her head. "I don't know if I'm well enough for a ravish."

"It works both ways you know." Smithy winked and kissed her forehead, heading through to the shower.

* * *

"I tried to work." Charlie scowled sullenly, sighing as she looked up at Smithy's distinctly unimpressed expression. 

"You know what the doctor said…"

"Yeah yeah." She yawned and shrugged. "Couldn't concentrate anyway."

Smithy chuckled and pulled one of the bags over, sitting beside her. "Let's see what we can do about that then." He said, opening the bag, he pulled out a newspaper. "The Times!"

"…The Times?" Charlie raised an eyebrow, "Am I fifty?"

"It's so you know what you've been missing in the world." Smithy smirked.

"…Gee. You shouldn't have." Charlie deadpanned.

"A women's magazine!" Smithy dipped inside the bag, passing it over. "For all…woman type things." He said, grimacing.

Charlie chuckled and kissed his cheek, "Such a sweetheart."

Smithy just smirked and wriggled his eyebrow. "And before you get too excited…" he brandished a third magazine. "FHM!"

"…And such a romantic." Charlie rolled her eyes, picking at the other things in the bag. "Chocolate?" She grinned, pulling the bar of Dairy Milk out.

"I never said it was for you!"

"You value your testicles?"

"…It's for you!" He grinned and kissed her cheek, carrying the other bags to the kitchen, unloading them. "And, wait for it…" Smithy paused and tipped the final carrier onto the work surface. "We shall be cooking spaghetti bolognaise, with an authentic tomato sauce …thing." He reached out; stopping one of the tomato's rolling onto the floor. "An old Smith recipe passed on from generation to generation."

"Your family aren't Italian." Charlie smirked.

"I had a great, great, great grandmother whose maiden name was Nardonie…" Smithy grinned and wriggled an eyebrow. "That must count for something."

"For you being a lying bastard." Charlie chuckled and wrapped her arms around his neck, laughing for the first time in a week. "I love you, Smithy." She smiled. "Thank you…"


End file.
